


The Vest

by Envytastic



Category: Free!
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Tachibana Makoto's vest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2016-11-12
Packaged: 2018-08-30 14:37:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8536936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Envytastic/pseuds/Envytastic
Summary: Makoto has vest. It's thick, wooly, and cozy. During the winter times he would always wear it when he was home. It was a gift from his late grandmother. He absolutely loved it. Everyone else absolutely hated it. Especially his mother.
If she couldn't convince him to put it away, maybe a certain water loving boy can.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this on my phone so my apologies for it being horribly unbeta'd. Also I haven't written anything in ages so I hope it's any good.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Makoto has vest. It's thick, wooly, and cozy. During the winter times he would always wear it when he was home. It was a gift from his late grandmother. He absolutely loved it. Everyone else absolutely hated it. Especially his mother.

Despite Makoto telling her that there was nothing wrong with it, she knew a lot was wrong with it. She understood very well that it was a memento from her mother, but that thing was hideously old. It frayed here and there, places makoto himself had patched up (who was she kidding, it was Haruka that did the patching up. Her son was hopeless when it came to home economics.), and it smelled. Makato didn't wash it often in case it fell apart. She wanted to get rid of it.

However, she knew very well that she just couldn't up and throw it out. Makoto would be heartbroken. Not only that, it still was a memory of her deceased mother. She just... didn't want to see it for a while. She needed Makoto to give it up himself. With some help. Help from a certain blue eyed boy her son was smitten with.

She hadn't minded when Makoto (her sweet, sweet teddy bear of a son) timidly told her of his relationship with Haruka that was more than friendship. Honestly, it wasn't even a surprise. Seeing how difficult it was for Makoto to tell her this, she had lightened the mood by blurting out 'took you long enough'.

His face then was forever engraved in her mind. The surprise, the happiness, the confusion all trying to trump the other. In a way she was happy. She much preferred Makoto ending up with Haruka aan being in a good place, than with some random chick who would surely take advantage of his well of never-ending kindness. Besides, she still had Ren and Ran to give her grand babies.

"Ittekimasu!" Makoto called as he left the house to do the chore she had given him.

"Itterasshai!" She called back. Waiting a few minutes, she poked her head out of the front door to see if he was in sight. Good. She quickly put on some outdoor slippers and her coat. She walked up the steps to the house of her future son-in-law.

Pressing the bell, she waited. And sighed. Makoto often told her that Haruka won't answer the door because he's soaking in the bathtub. Opening the sliding door, which was unlocked as usual.

"Haruka-kun?!" She called out, not wanting to intrude further into his home. She knew that only Makoto had the privilege to use this home as his own.

Water sloshing and dripping was heard from the upper part of the otherwise silent house. She waited patiently for the boy to make himself decent. He walked down the stairs, wearing sweatpants, a sweater and a towel around his neck. His hair was still dripping wet. Mrs. Tachibana's motherly instinct kicked in and she clicked her tongue. 

"You'll get sick if you keep your hair wet." She chastised him as she pulled the towel from his neck and rubbed it on his head. Haruka said nothing and looked at her, blue eyes questioning. She remembers what she came for and halted her mothering. 

"Right." She said clearing her throat. "The thing is, I need your help. You know Makoto's vest right?" 

Haruka nodded, "The ugly one."

Mrs. Tachibana pointed at him. "Bingo." She said and sighed. "We've been trying to get rid of it for a while, and by getting rid I don't mean throw it out or something, just... out of sight. Or at least let him allow us to wash it. I've been wondering if maybe you could convince him to put it away."

Haruka contemplated it. Rei had hated it on sight, screeching that it was the least beautiful thing he had ever seen. Nagisa had kept calling Makoto 'os-san' when he wore it but it didn't deter Makoto from still wearing it. Finally he shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."

Makoto's mother beamed. "Fantastic!" She called as she clapped her hands in delight. "You can have dinner at ours and even stay the night if you please." She turned to leave but then halted. "Also wear socks, you'll get sick."

Haruka looked down at his bare toes. "I'll be leaving now!" She called. He nodded and waved her goodbye.

Before dinner, the doorbell rang. The twins rushed to the door with Makoto right behind them, shouting warnings not to forget to ask who was there and not to open doors for strangers. His warnings fell on deaf ears as Ren and Ran flung the door open.

"Haru-nii!" They shouted in unison and tackled their brothers 'special person'.

"Haru?" Makoto questioned, a smile on his lips.

Haruka smiled a tiny smile as he enveloped the twins in a hug. "Your mom invited me to dinner." He answered the unspoken question.

Makoto nodded and pried his siblings off of him to give him a hug of his own. He could hear his little brother and sister shouting how unfair it was for him to hug Haru-nii but this time he ignored them. He stepped back and took Haruka's hand, leading him inside, siblings following. 

"Welcome Haruka-kun, glad you could make it." Makoto's mother smiled kindly from the kitchen. "You can sit down. Makoto come help me in the kitchen."

Haruka did as he was told and sat down under the kotatsu, adjacent to Makoto's father, who was reading the newspaper. Ren and Ran joined them, sitting across their father.

"Ah. Welcome Haruka. How nice to have you." The man of the house said, folding his newspaper and putting it away.

"Thank you for having me." Haruka replied 

"How are you doing?"

"Good."

"Swim practice?"

"Good."

"School?"

"Good."

Bubbling laughter erupted from the man. "Still not very vocal are you?" He joked, patting the shoulder of the boy.

It was then that Makoto and Mrs. Tachibana walked in with the last of dinner. With the table all set and everyone present, dinner began. Mundane things were talked about. School of the twins, classes of Makoto and Haruka, Mr. Tachibana's work. Haruka would add to the conversation here and there. He could be vocal if he wanted to. Of course only Makoto knew best, but he wasn't going to tell them that.

Dinner was over and Mrs. Tachibana ushered the two teens away for them to have some privacy. She shared a knowijf look with Haruka, which was missed by the blissfully oblivious Makoto. The twins moaned the unfairness that Makoto-nii and Haruka-nii didn't have to help clean. Makoto shut the door, effectively drowning out the protests of his siblings.

Haruka had taken seat on the edge of Makoto's bed, familiar with the room. The first thing Makoto did was grab that hideous vest from the back of his desk chair and shrugged it on. It was long, coming up to Makoto's knees, black and white plaid patterned. It was a tad big on him, making him look very unflattering, hiding those delicious muscles Haruka knew he possessed.

Makoto turned to him, a loving smile on his lips. He pushed Haru back on the bed and was all over him in a second. Lips currently nipping on the crook of Haruka's neck, Haruka shuddered in delight. Not even looking at waterfall magazines elicit these feelings in him. However, he was here with a mission. He couldn't get himself distracted.

Gently, he placed his hands on Makoto's shoulders and pushed him away. Makoto looked utterly confused.

"Makoto." He breathed, looking into Makoto's gorgeous green eyes. "That vest... it's... got to go."

Crap. The confusion had been replaced by hurt. Makoto withdrew from Haruka. Haruka beat himself up on the inside. Couldn't he have waited to confront Makoto about the vest after the make-up sesh?

Makoto sighed, face facing away from Haruka. "Haru... did my mom ask you this?"

Haruka looked away with a miniscule pout on his lips. Damn their telepathy. Makoto groaned and huffed the best closer to himself. He was always the selfless person, putting other people's needs before his own, especially when it was his family's or friends' needs. This time tough, he decided to be selfish.

"No." He said, his resolve adamant. "Haru if you love me, all of me, you'll also accept this vest." He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Haruka couldn't contain himself. Makoto just looked too cute with that expression on his face. He let out a laugh, earning a glare from his other half. He got up and hugged Makoto around the middle.

"I'm sorry. I just can't understand why you love that vest so much, almost sounding it like I have to choose between you and it." Haruka said, amusement lacing his voice.

Makoto blushed, he hadn't meant to sound it like that, but he was glad that Haruka wasn't upset about it. He wrapped his own arms around his shorter boyfriend and nuzzled his nose in the black strands of hair.

"I feel... safe when wearing this. Like I'm a little boy again, eating dango at my grandmother's house. When I wear this it feels like she's near me, watching over me. I'm not ready to give that up."

Haruka nodded, knowing how much Makoto's grandmother meant to him. Apparently he had confided his confusing feeling for Haruka in her and she had cheered him on to get together with Haruka. 

They parted and Haruka's curiosity was piqued. "Can I try it on?"

"Of course!" Makoto said back to his cheerful self, after finally having Haruka understand his love for the vest.

He took it off and helped Haruka put it on, like the gentleman he was. Haruka's eyed widened as he had a revelation. While it was rough on the outside, the inside was soft and fluffy. The vest, being so oversized on him, felt like he was being hugged. Haruka wasn't one for physical contact, but this vest just screamed Makoto. It smelled like him from hours and hours of wearing. 

Long story short, it was like being hugged by Makoto.

He walked passed Makoto, into the living room, getting the attention of the rest of the Tachibana clan. 

Makoto was by his side in a heartbeat, their telepathy failing him. He had no idea what was going through Haruka's mind.

Haruka was looking at his mother, eyes locked. The twins exchanged confused looks between each other and Mr. Tachibana looked questioningly at Makoto.

"The vest stays." Haruka finally said. Everyone burst out in laughter, minus Haruka and Mrs. Tachibana.

"Nice try honey." Makoto's father laughed as he rubbed his wive's back. She sighed in defeat and smiled. Of course it would fail. She was a fool for even asking Haruka to do such a thing. She just had to be patient and wait for when Makoto was ready to put it away. She hoped before he left for college at least. 

"Now if you'll excuse me, I should be getting home." Haruka said politely and went to the genkan.

Makoto followed Haru to see him out, as was the polite thing to do. The chill that intruded from their poorly isolated hall made him realize something. "Haru my vest..." 

Haruka had already put on his shoes and out the front door.

"Haru! Give me back my vest! " He called after the black haired boy. Haruka was already halfway up the stairs to his own home. Makoto quickly kicked on a pair of shoes and gave chase.

"Haruuuuu! "

A vest that felt like Makoto was cuddling him 24/7? No way was Haruka giving that up without a fight.

 


End file.
